The “whoosh” of a frisbee soaring through the air. The perfect catch. Then, the perfect score. Teammates flood onto the field to congratulate each other on winning the Ohio Ultimate Frisbee State competition, with Isadore McCune in the middle of the huddle.
Ultimate frisbee (ultimate) is a self-officiated, non-contact league sport where a disc is flung from one position on the field to the next. Each team has seven players that play on a field a bit narrower than a football field.
The goal of the game is to pass the frisbee towards the other team’s endzone and catch the frisbee in the endzone to score a goal. Players may not run with the disc in hand and must work it down the field by passing to teammates. Most youth and professional teams play on mixed-sex teams, though some leagues or teams have all-women or men teams.
East freshman McCune, has been surrounded by the sport of ultimate since childhood. Beginning with her parents’ college ultimate experience playing for club teams at the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Purdue University, they passed their passion for ultimate to their children.
“I used to always go to these summer leagues when I was really little. I wouldn’t really play, because I [would] normally be on the playground, but [my] brothers and sisters would play, so I’d always watch them. And then I started playing,” McCune told Spark.
McCune’s eldest sister, Adele, was interested in the ultimate sport and community, starting a team that McCune’s father, Michael McCune, coached at Liberty Junior School in 2017 that would continue until 2021. When Lakota decided not to field a team starting the spring 2021 season because of COVID-19 issues, the McCunes moved their athletics and coaching to Mason High School. Adele played for Mason’s ultimate mixed-sex team throughout her junior and senior year of high school, winning the state title each year. Adele now plays club ultimate for a team called Toxic at UC as a full-time student.
“Ultimate is self-officiated and stresses sportsmanship,” Michael told Spark. “When playing Ultimate, you appreciate good plays whether they are made by your team or your opponents.”
In the state of Ohio, ultimate is a club sport that is not governed by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA), but runs through high schools. The Cincinnati Ultimate Players Association regulates the operation of teams in different schools, so if athletes attend a school that does not offer a team, they may play for a school that does.
As of the 2024-25 season, Lakota does not operate an ultimate team. But, because of Michael’s connections in the community from playing and coaching for many years, McCune is able to play for the Mason High School Ultimate team and has been for the past three years before even entering high school.
The Mason Comet’s Mixed Ultimate team finished their season in November 2024 with a state title. The mixed team has won the state title these past two seasons in 2023 and 2024.
McCune’s athletic abilities reach past the sport of ultimate, though. McCune balances the demanding schedule of ultimate, Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball, East basketball, and East track and field. McCune has played for AAU, a summer youth basketball league, on a team called Flight for the past three years.
“There is a tough balance between confidence and humility,” East Girls Basketball Head Coach Daniel Wallace told Spark. “Most young players come in one of two ways, scared or overconfident. Izzy McCune has come into high school with an impressive balance of talent, effort and confidence that is balanced with a humility and willingness to play wherever helps the program.”
Ultimate as a sport is physically demanding and requires a trust between the players in order to depend on each other, putting an emphasis on the “Spirit of the Game,” according to Michael.
Of the seven players on the field for one team, typically three will be “handlers,” two will be “mids,” and two will be “longs.” In offensive terms, the “handlers” are the ones who throw and handle the frisbee the most and have good disc skills.
Typically, the “mids” are either cutters, poppers, or deeps, the name of the position alternating for different types of offensive plays. Finally, the “longs” are players who tend to travel the further distances on the field, and anticipate catching the frisbee near the endzone.
“Throwing and playing defense are the most difficult parts of Ultimate,” said Michael. “The ability to throw backhands and forehands takes a lot of practice. Defensive positioning is key to good defense and takes a while to figure out.”
Defensive positions in ultimate are similar to most other field sports, with different plays able to dictate the type of defenses run. Most often, ultimate uses a zone defense, where players guard a certain section of the field and all the offensive players in that zone.
“You throw [the frisbee] to someone, they catch it. Everyone cuts towards you, trying to get open, and everyone has a defender on them,” said McCune. “And if the other team catches it, intercepts it, or you know, just smacks it down, it’s their disc, and they start going the other way.”
Currently, Michael is one of the head coaches for the Mason Ultimate Frisbee Mixed Gender team for which McCune plays. McCune’s younger sister Romy McCune, a seventh grader, also plays occasionally for Mason’s ultimate team with McCune. Being coached by her father, McCune is given endless opportunities to improve her craft by learning from the one who taught her all of it.
“Isadore is an athletic player with a lot of potential,” said Michael. “She is a good cutter, defender, and her throwing is improving.”
Michael also coaches for the youth ultimate team, Cincinnati Bullseye, that McCune plays for in the off-season. The team competes in the Youth Club U20 Girls Division of USA Ultimate (USAU).
As part of the season’s tournaments, McCune has had the opportunity to travel to places like Minnesota and Colorado nearly every summer with her Bullseye teammates. Some of McCune’s most fond memories from these trips is the time spent travelling there.
“We were all on a plane together, and our plane actually got delayed for like eight hours,” said McCune. “We were sitting in New Mexico, on the plane for four hours. Anyway, at one point my dad just walks in the back and grabs the cart and steals all the snacks. It was really fun.”
McCune has made great contributions to the team as a friend, athlete, and cheerleader for her teammates over her years with the sport.
“Isadore has always been a team player and a vital part of any team. She is genuinely one of the best players I know for how young she is in comparison,” McCune’s teammate and senior at Mason High School, Ella Hardesty, told Spark. “She is always making me laugh on and off the field, and [is] someone whose playing style I really admire.”
Regardless of the sport, McCune puts her best foot forward in her training and practice.
“Sport sometimes gets lost in the seriousness and the social pressure to be great, but Izzy still understands that it is a game and supposed to be enjoyed,” said Wallace. “She can make mistakes and move on the next play. She plays to play the game, not to get recognition or shine on social media.”
